Biggest Crowd Ever At Boyd's Speedway On Tuesday Night

Top Four

- photo by Thomas Hendrickson

Weaver Action

- photo by Thomas Hendrickson

Weaver victory

- photo by Thomas Hendrickson

In what can only be described as the biggest crowd ever at Boyd's Speedway, the Schaeffer’s Oil: Southern Nationals Series presented by Old Man’s Garage was a huge success Tuesday night with NASCAR drivers Ty & Austin Dillon. With over 90 racecars, four divisions of competition and a packed general admssion grand stand area, racers from 9-states and 1-country (Australia) the night of action was jam pack as even four lucky fans received Rides of a Lifetime during a brief intermission. Crossville, Tennessee's Randy THE DREAM Weaver won in dominating fashion his third straight SLM event, picking up the nights $3,500 payday of 36-other top teams.

In the local divisions, Red Bank's Jimmy Smith won the B-Hobby, Booger Brooks of Chattanooga win the A-Hobby and Harrison's Brian Pritchard won the time shortened Crate LM feature.

THOMAS HENDRICKSON PHOTO's

Randy Weaver led flag-to-flag for the $3,500 victory, his sixth career and third on the tour this season on Tuesday Night at Boyd’s Speedway in front of a record crowd. Weaver came to victory lane while driving the Outlaws Race Parts, The Bailey Company, Precision One Trailer Parts and VP Fuels sponsored Cornett Engines Longhorn Chassis. Weaver took the jump on the start of the 35-lapper and took to the point with Austin Dillon, Chris Madden and Ronnie Johnson in tow.

An early battle for second spot between Dillon and Madden allowed Weaver to stretch out a commanding lead on the field of 23. By lap eight, Weaver would work his way around lapped traffic while battle was heating up between Dillon, Johnson and Madden. By lap 23, Johnson would work the low side of the track and take the third spot from Madden but with six laps to go, Madden pulled the slider on Johnson for second and held on to the end.

Two yellows slowed the field. On lap ten, Ty Dillon spun around in turn two. The final caution on lap 21 would wave as Dylan Ames slowed going into turn one. Weaver was all smiles in Victory Lane. “Gotta thank the Lord, he’s been way too good to me, I don’t deserve any of it, everything we do is for him, and I’ve not always been that way but I’m sure glad I’m that way now,” stated an emotional Weaver with his father alongside in victory lane for the third time this season.

“I gotta thank this crew, I’m telling you, Grant and Josh, probably two of the most underrated guys in the pits, and it don’t matter if it is in the Lucas (Series) pits or here, everybody is a good group of guys to race with, anytime you can run with (Ronnie) Johnson down here, that (Chris) Madden, I’m telling you he’s tough everywhere, I just can’t believe that were having this much success,” stated Weaver.

Weaver went on to thank his supporters. “I gotta thank all my sponsors, Ohlins Shocks, Hoosier Tire, that Ford-powered Cornett, that thing was so drive-able, but has horsepower when you need it, and Longhorn Chassis, that Kevin Rumley texted me before we hot lapped, to him it’s just like putting a puzzle together, to me I don’t understand it, but he tells us what to do and we do it, we go out and try to win races and luckily we’ve been doing that lately.”

Weaver’s win at Boyd’s Speedway Tuesday Night has been a culmination of victories with various sanctions going back to the first win July 11th at Smoky Mountain Speedway during an Ultimate-sanctioned event to Tuesday where he picked up his sixth victory in a row. Weaver’s momentum has come along in recent weeks and attributes his father’s health as a big factor. “My dad is feeling better and gotta thank God for that, anytime he’s going good, and coming by the shop and kind of straightening us out when we’re doing it wrong, that makes a big difference,” chuckled Weaver.

Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, Tenn. was the highest finishing Steel Head Late Model in the field and received a $200 cash bonus for his third place finish and Riley Hickman of Cleveland, Tenn. received the Spec. Engine Bonus and $200 cash for that award finishing sixth in the main event.

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